Fox To Launch Spanish Language TV Network MundoFox This Fall

Fox and its partner, Colombia’s RCN Television Group, say that they expect MundoFox to be carried on TV stations that reach 75% of all U.S. households. Affiliate deals in top Hispanic markets are “being finalized,” they add. Programming will come from RCN, Fox International Channels, sports channel Fox Deportes, the Shine Group, RCN’s news and sports channel NTN24, and third-party suppliers. “There is an increasing demand for quality Spanish-language content in the U.S. from both viewers and advertisers,” says Fox International Channels CEO Hernan Lopez. “FOX saw similar dynamics in play 25 years ago when it launched the Fox network, and it would be a missed opportunity not to provide an alternative for the 50+ million Latino viewers who currently have limited options in Spanish-language broadcast television. Our partnership with RCN will help us do this and we aim do it in a big way.”

But it may be hard for MundoFox to find its place. Univision, widely believed to be gearing up for an IPO, is already a tough competitor: It’s the No. 5 network, and frequently beats English-language stations. And NBCUniversal is investing in Telemundo. It surprised many analysts in October by winning a bidding war to provide Spanish-language telecasts of soccer’s World Cup games in 2018 and 2022. They’d been a staple on Univision since 1978. Here’s the release about MundoFox:

Miami, FL – January 23, 2012 – Fox International Channels and the RCN Television Group (RCN), headquartered in Colombia, jointly announced today the formation of joint venture which will launch MundoFox, a new Spanish-language television network catering to the U.S. Hispanic market. The network, scheduled to launch during the Fall season of 2012 in Hispanic homes nationwide, will aim to bring a similar sensibility as the Fox Network to Latino audiences, with exciting entertainment, best-in-class programing content and differentiation from the limited options currently available to viewers.

“Our partnership with RCN is a key step in the launch of MundoFox” said Hernan Lopez, President & CEO of Fox International Channels. “There is an increasing demand for quality Spanish-language content in the U.S. from both viewers and advertisers. FOX saw similar dynamics in play 25 years ago when it launched the Fox network, and it would be a missed opportunity not to provide an alternative for the 50+ million Latino viewers who currently have limited options in Spanish-language broadcast television. Our partnership with RCN will help us do this and we aim do it in a big way.”

“RCN has provided the main Hispanic networks in the US with much of their prime-time content for over two decades. We now plan to maximize our capabilities and bring an increasing variety of fresh and innovative productions directly to Spanish-speaking viewers. I am certain that FOX is the best partner to make this a successful network,” said Gabriel Reyes, CEO of RCN.

Fox International Channels operates 350 channels in 35 countries, and most recently achieved great success with a consortium of three cable networks targeting the U.S. Hispanic consumer: FOX Deportes, Utilisima and NatGeo Mundo. RCN is one of the largest producers and exporters of Spanish-language television in the world and operates cable channels throughout the Americas.

Content for the network will come from several diverse sources, including:

1. RCN Television S.A. – the top broadcaster in Colombia. Past successes from this creative force have been the original “Ugly Betty,” called “Betty La Fea”, the only Spanish-Language series to have inspired a mainstream U.S. network drama; and “El Capo”, an action-packed prime time daily series that has broken ratings records in many countries, including the US.

2. Fox International Channels – over the last several years, FOX has produced
high-quality weekly dramas for prime time that combine US-style, character-driven story-telling and visuals with Latino sensibility. Additionally, it has produced gripping factual series and a wide array of lifestyle shows.

3. FOX Deportes – the #1 sports brand for the U.S. Hispanic market, with exclusive U.S. Spanish-language rights to the UFC, as well as various soccer tournaments, including Copa Santander Libertadores, Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana, and European tournaments. Some of these events will be broadcast on MundoFox.

4. Shine Group – one of the leading producers of unscripted and scripted programming worldwide (including hit formats “The Biggest Loser”, “MasterChef” and “One Born Every Minute” and successful international dramas including “Merlin” and “The Hour”), will be producing their first original Spanish language content for MundoFox.

5. NTN24 – RCN’s international, 24-hour channel that offers Spanish-language news, analysis, opinion, sports and entertainment news programs from a uniquely Latin point of view. NTN24 also produces online, English language content with an emphasis on news from the Americas.

6. Third-party Suppliers – additionally, MundoFox will license and/or commission original programs and movies from a variety of third party producers, both from the English-language world as well as Spanish.

Although distribution is currently being established, MundoFox has plans to be carried on stations covering 75% of US households. The network currently has several affiliate deals being finalized in top Hispanic markets across the country.

13 Comments

Joseph • on Jan 23, 2012 10:41 am

Fox will probably launch Mundofox as a “.2” digital sub-channel on Fox O&O’s, try to get widespread cable/satellite carriage, and perhaps also offer it as a primary (“.1” over-the-air subchannel) service on some TV stations in areas with large Hispanic populations where there is no Fox or My Network TV O&O.

Perhaps the better idea might have been to shut down My Network TV, convert the Fox-owned My O&O’s to Spanish-language programming with Mundofox, and try to conv8ince as many My Network TV affiliates as possible to follow suit.

mbm2 • on Jan 23, 2012 12:06 pm

probably won’t get nearly as much ratings as Univision and Telemundo

Carlos • on Jan 23, 2012 1:46 pm

There’s a certain irony that one division of Fox, FoxNews, does every thing possible to alienate and vilify Latinos, while another division of Fox seeks to to embrace them.

tv guy • on Jan 23, 2012 10:07 pm

Given the world wide market branding strengths of FOX they could pull it off. Sports and News are enough to leverage the growth. Good for them to make this move.

Danny Fernin • on Jan 26, 2012 12:18 pm

Another network that will have its main programming produced in other countries ignoring the talent available in the US. They missed president Obama’s state of the union address, create work in the US…

I want to watch The Simpsons on MundoFox for the first time in Spanish here in the United States and Are they going to air Fox shows in Spanish?

I hope MundoFox will air The Simpsons for the first time in Spanish Language in the US.

LILI • on Feb 7, 2012 9:14 am

Who will be teh affiliate in Miami

MARIO • on Feb 11, 2012 2:46 pm

The quality programming doesn’t have frontiers.

I always have said that one hispanic network which respect itself must see in the frontier with Mexico, specialy in EL PASO TX-CIUDAD JUAREZ area.

So I’m waiting for MUNDOFOX in CIUDAD JUAREZ!

No More Crossing • on May 6, 2012 9:17 pm

In a time when illegals are flooding our country and detsorying our culture we are adding a new station for them. Most Hispanics and Latinos that are citizens in this country (not anchor babies as we all know they don’t count) watch english programing, so we know this will be geared toward illegals and will be filled with anti-American/ government rederick! Way to go Fox and the USA for destroying America!!

tired of this • on May 7, 2012 9:03 am

Why is spanish the new fad in America? Why can’t the mass media and government stop catering to this genre? I’m sick and tired of seeing what currently is America get destroyed by catering to minorities. We have gone so far backwards that now we are being forced to change and cater to immigrants in our daily lives and work. Wake up America! Learn to speak and read English!

mamaoq • on May 8, 2012 5:40 am

@no more crossing, stop presuming to know the tv watching habits of Hispanics or Latinos..Many of us enjoy watching a show televised in Spanish just as much aa we do in English. @tired of this, Latinos or Hispanics are no longer a minority….This country is made up of immigrants and some are considered minorities…..This type of attitude is narrow minded and counter productive…GO FOX!!

Marvin • on May 15, 2012 12:59 pm

Thank GOD we will have more choices, sick and tired of Univision and Telemundo. YEAH FOX!!!!